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Re: Mouth to mouth combat



Lip locking is the final stage of apisto territorial display. This only happens
when both fish are of about equal strength. One will eventually win the tug of war
and drive the other off. In the wild the loser leaves the area and no one gets
hurt. In a tank the loser doesn't always have this option. If all 8 sq. ft. of tank
bottom is claimed by the other fish, then the loser may be driven from one
territory to the other. Keep an eye out for any hiding at the top of the tank or
looking kind of beat up. You'll have to take him out or risk losing him. BTW
studies with apistos have shown that males, if given the opportunity, will take
over the entire bottom of a 200X50 cm (80X20") tank.

Mike Wise

alex pastor wrote:

> I've never seen them do it before, but two of my male borellii were locked
> jaw to jaw this morning, oblivious of the fact that it was chow time and the
> loaches were wacking them around, as a unit.
>
> They've only got  8 square feet (+ACE-) of tank bottom to occupy, and there are
> only about 8 males in the tank, but apparently that's not good enough.
> Will they damage one another in a major way?  Is moving them a must?
> Honestly, I can't keep setting up new tanks all the time.  I can barely
> manage with what I have.  I'm in Toronto. Anyone want extremely healthy
> macho borelliis just let me know.   Come and get 'em.
>
> G. Kadar
>
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